HAPPINESS

The good life doesn't have to cost the planet.

“Modified Social Benches”: An Experiment in Outdoor Socializing

by Cat Johnson

posted May 13, 2013

An installation of creatively shaped benches in Belgium pushes the edge of urban sit-ability.

Mothers Day Cards that Actually Depict Our Moms

by Corey Hill

posted May 10, 2013

The reality of motherhood in America has little in common with the comfortable images portrayed in cards and on TV. A set of Mothers Day e-cards you can send for free shows moms that better reflect our diverse society.

Why Sharing News About Solutions Is a Revolutionary Act

by Frances Moore Lappé

posted May 10, 2013

Scary stories of kidnappings and explosions lead our news feeds, but it's the good news that helps break down the myth of our own powerlessness.

Would Smokey the Bear Get Arrested to Stop Fracking?

by Peter Rugh

posted May 09, 2013

When artist Lopi LaRoe used Smokey the Bear imagery to encourage anti-fracking activism, the Forest Service threatened her with a lawsuit.

Survival of the ... Nicest? Check Out the Other Theory of Evolution

by Eric Michael Johnson

posted May 03, 2013

A new theory of human origins says cooperation—not competition—is instinctive.

Six Ways to Stop Worrying and Find Work You Love

by Roman Krznaric

posted May 02, 2013

Quitting work that leaves you unfulfilled requires a lot of courage. Here are six things you can do to get yourself ready to take the plunge.

Star Trek’s George Takei: Putting Facebook Fame to Good Use

by Mark Engler

posted Apr 30, 2013

Famous for his role as Mr. Sulu on Star Trek, today George Takei uses the popularity of his kitchy humor to promote discussion about the rights of women and LGBT people.

Vermont Time Bankers Build a More Personal Economy

posted Apr 26, 2013

Video: Whatever service you might need, you’re likely to be able to get it at Onion River Time Bank, where you pay by doing what you love.

Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History

by Nadia Colburn

posted Apr 22, 2013

When author Florence Williams learned her breast milk contained chemicals like flame retardants, she started investigating what exactly is in a breast and how that body part connects us to our children, our past, and our surroundings.

Love Your Books? 4 Ways to Share Them With Others

by Fabien Tepper, Signe Predmore

posted Apr 22, 2013

From mobile libraries to tiny libraries, how to get others to read the books you love.

Finding the Simple Life at Sea—On a Shoestring

by Peter Pearsall

posted Apr 17, 2013

Think an island-hopping cruise across the Pacific is only for the elite? Not if you take the slow boat.

Fried Onions, Feather Beds, and Intro to Chinese

posted Apr 15, 2013

Here's a typical day at Brooklyn Free School.

For the Bullied and Beautiful

posted Apr 15, 2013

In this sometimes humorous and painfully true TEDTalk, Shane Koyczan's spoken-word poem, "To This Day," shares the anguish of being bullied and the will to survive.

Visual Learning: Out of Character

posted Apr 15, 2013

This Visual Learning activity will get your students thinking about the intersection of handwriting and digital typeface and the fate of cursive writing around the world.

Free to Be Me

by Gia Rae Winsryg-Ulmer

posted Apr 15, 2013

Gia Rae Winsryg-Ulmer knew she found her place to teach when she walked through the doors of Brooklyn Free School three years ago. See how Gia and BFS honor children's rights to be themselves and become the happy, healthy, and independent thinking people they are meant to be. This is Gia's Story.